045

Ha-gyeom sat on the bed facing Baek Sa. As he stared out into the pitch-black night for a while, he had a question he wanted to ask him.

“You’ve been outside, right?”

He knew it would sound ridiculous, but he asked anyway. As expected, Baek Sa gave him a look of disbelief before answering.

“Of course.”

Since the invasion, he had only seen the outside through photos and videos. The Seoul he lived in, or other regions of South Korea, were only accessible through stories from skilled individuals who had ventured out. According to their accounts, the former territory of South Korea was nothing but ruins.

“How is it? Is it really as desolate as they say?”

Baek Sa nodded. Without further explanation, Ha-gyeom asked again.

“Are the monsters really more diverse?”

“They are.”

“Dr. Cha mentioned that there are still skilled people staying outside.”

Ha-gyeom had heard similar stories but never trusted them. He thought it was an excuse made by people who unfairly took skilled individuals from other areas.

“Don’t think that what you learned at the center is everything. It’s dangerous out there.”

If it were Baek Seungwoo, he would never have spoken against the center, so Ha-gyeom found Baek Sa’s criticism extremely unfamiliar.

When he watched a child dying because they couldn’t get a transplant, he understood the conflicts between different areas and the contradictions in their actions. However, for Ha-gyeom, the center was still a place based on goodwill and the only home he could rely on.

How had Baek Seungwoo changed in the past five years? He was always curious. With a somewhat solemn face, Ha-gyeom asked,

“What do you think of the people at the center?”

Ha-gyeom swallowed nervously. Baek Sa suppressed a momentary ferocious look before answering.

“Hypocrites.”

Ha-gyeom’s eyes trembled at the completely unexpected answer. Likewise, it was an answer that Baek Seungwoo, who was always filled with a sense of justice and close to Kim Hyejeong, would never have given.

Had he been brainwashed here? Or did he have a reason to think that way?

Although Baek Sa’s face was full of certainty, he didn’t reveal his discomfort for long. Ha-gyeom lowered his eyes anxiously. It was hard to accept, but he didn’t show his true feelings.

He was already nervous. Having stayed in Baek Sa’s room for over half a day, it was time to check for any changes. Before Baek Sa led him to the bed, he had demanded to see the ‘Purification Wave.’

“Do it.”

“Okay.”

After a quick glance at the dark outside, he extended his hand. Without much difficulty, Ha-gyeom created a wave the size of a soccer ball. He remembered that although he had shown his weapon skills in front of Baek Sa, he had never displayed his purification wave.

When Baek Seungwoo was at the center, he always showed a pitiful side. Although he had improved since then, the sight of Baek Sa naturally reminded him of Baek Seungwoo, making it burdensome to show his abilities in front of the ‘brother’ who had watched his growth.

Although he couldn’t understand these complicated feelings….

Ha-gyeom soon expanded the wave until it covered the entire bed. As he increased its size further, the wave spread over half of Baek Sa’s room.

Before coming here, creating a wave of this size would have immediately strained his body. But now, he felt no internal injury or pain at all.

Ha-gyeom unknowingly gazed up at the expanded wave. Following his gaze, Baek Sa observed the boundaries of the wave and asked,

“Does it hurt?”

“No.”

He figured Baek Sa’s inspection of his nose, eyes, ears, and pulse wasn’t influenced by past memories, which twisted his insides. Conscious of Baek Sa’s fingers touching the carotid artery in his neck, Ha-gyeom asked,

“Should I do more?”

If he continued, the wave would grow large enough to fill the room. Before he could feel burdened, Baek Sa shook his head.

“Just maintain it.”

Ha-gyeom was also curious to see how large a wave he could create and sustain with Baek Sa. Although he hadn’t tested it yet, he felt confident that he wouldn’t suffer internal injuries as he did at the center. He even felt a sense of expectation, but the reason he trembled wasn’t just because of that.

“…….”

At some point, Ha-gyeom couldn’t take his eyes off Baek Sa sitting across from him. Inside his wave, Baek Seungwoo was still being protected. It was hard to explain, but that alone was incredibly thrilling and exhilarating.

‘Espers are nothing without guides. Just remember that.’

‘So, does that mean I’m stronger than you, hyung?’

‘Ultimately, yes.’

Suddenly, past conversations resurfaced in his mind. It was more of a thoughtful comfort than the absolute truth, but it gave Ha-gyeom confidence. To think that someone as insignificant as him could protect someone. That he could be as strong as an Esper….

“Focus.”

Baek Sa drew his attention by patting his cheek. The wave’s boundary had blurred as he delved into his old memories. Ignoring the moisture that had gathered at the corners of his eyes, Ha-gyeom forced his mind to go black again.

“When you’re outside, the wave must never become unstable, not even for a moment.”

Unlike the protected environment of the purification system, the outside world was unsafe due to radioactive contamination. Even a brief exposure could lead to radiation poisoning, so protecting his teammates meant never letting his guard down.

“I know….”

He almost added the formal suffix “-yo” as he would with Baek Seungwoo. Ha-gyeom focused harder to solidify the wave’s boundary and looked back at Baek Sa.

“It’s better to reduce the size of the wave than to overexert yourself and get injured.”

Baek Sa’s calm demeanor reminded him of Baek Seungwoo. If he were still by his side, he would have filled in his gaps as he imagined, being closer than anyone else.

“…But in battle, you can’t reduce the wave’s size. You never know where the Espers will go.”

The wave was more stable than ever, but Ha-gyeom’s mind was not. Unable to hide his sinking mood, he lowered his gaze. Baek Sa lifted his chin to make him look up.

“In a life-threatening situation, you only think about yourself and me.”

He tilted his head, not understanding what that meant. Baek Sa added nonchalantly,

“It means you don’t need to care for the other Espers with your ability.”

“You’re telling me to abandon the other Espers?”

“Yes.”

“Then they’ll die.”

“That’s the true role of an exclusive guide.”

Baek Sa’s face was chillingly cold. Guides, being few in number, always had to exert themselves to a certain extent. It was only natural to accept that, but there wasn’t a hint of hesitation in Baek Sa.

He reached out as if to touch his eyes. His fingertips eventually brushed against his eyelids and eyelashes. Ha-gyeom opened his eyes wider.

“Just look at me. No one will blame you, no matter who gets hurt.”

It was an eerie instruction to give before a mission. Ha-gyeom thought of Park Hana, whom he had met at the playground, and Seo Jae-yeol, who always grated on his nerves. Even though his personal feelings weren’t favorable, he had never thought of abandoning them in the dangerous outside world.

“Are you saying this because it’d be a problem if I overexerted myself and died?”

Baek Sa narrowed his eyes and sighed deeply.

“What if I am?”

Harsh words should have come out immediately, but Ha-gyeom couldn’t bring himself to say anything. He had been in a bad mood all along, and now he felt a little nauseous.

Seeing his pallor, Baek Sa approached, grabbed the back of his neck, and pressed his lips to his. As he tilted his head and deepened the kiss, their saliva naturally mixed. Ha-gyeom unconsciously trembled as he opened his mouth wider. A hot tongue gently invaded, brushing against the soft mucous membrane.

His hand slid between Ha-gyeom’s legs, moving sensually to arouse him. If this continued, his concentration would break to the point where he wouldn’t be able to maintain the wave at all.

“…That’s enough!”

Just from a little saliva exchange, his nausea quickly subsided. Wiping his saliva-slicked lips, Baek Sa said with a wicked look in his eyes,

“Think of me as your fuel and use me whenever you need. You know best what to do if it’s not enough.”

Ha-gyeom’s cheeks turned bright red. Could you really say such things nonchalantly at thirty-one?

“As long as I have your energy, I won’t die.”

He grumbled deliberately, pulling Baek Sa’s wrist to check the time. Twenty minutes had already passed since he expanded the wave. To maintain the wave for a minimum of 24 hours, or even days, this test was nowhere near sufficient.

Having always lived within the purification system, he had never attempted anything like this. Though he could maintain high levels as long as Baek Sa was by his side, he wasn’t sure if he could sustain the wave long enough if Baek Sa relied on him to go outside.

He couldn’t let the wave diminish even while sleeping. With the intention of practicing, he asked,

“Can I lie down for a bit? I’ll need to maintain the wave even while sleeping anyway….”

Baek Sa chuckled and lifted the thin blanket, as if making a cozy spot for a cat to curl up.